Since the very first casino opened its doors, an endless war has raged between the operators trying to protect their money and the criminals trying to steal it.

The casino's "Eye in the Sky" catches most of them eventually, but recognizing the signs of a scam unfolding right next to you is a fascinating skill.

Past Posting: The Art of the Late Bet

If they win a hand of blackjack, their original $10 bet is magically transformed into a $100 bet right before the dealer pays them out.

This scam requires absolute, flawless timing, massive distraction, and the steady, lightning-fast hands of a professional close-up magician.

• The scam almost always involves a loud, intentional distraction created by an accomplice
• Cheaters also use "pinching," which is removing chips from a bet after losing the hand
• If a player is constantly hovering their hands near their chips after the deal, pit bosses become highly suspicious

How Players Manipulate the Deck

Historically, this involved utilizing invisible ink readable only with special contact lenses, or using a fingernail to create a tiny, microscopic dent in the cardboard.

A more sophisticated, highly controversial method popularized by poker legend Phil Ivey is known as "edge sorting."

How Cheaters Manipulate the Dice

However, highly skilled mechanics attempt a scam known as "dice sliding," which completely removes the random tumble of the dice.

To combat this, casinos mandate that both dice must physically bounce off the chaotic, rubber pyramid "alligator" siding at the far end of the table.

The glamorous era of casino cheating has largely been eradicated by incredibly advanced facial recognition, RFID-chipped betting tokens, and relentless surveillance.